The week begins

Monday morning. Up really early because a Strange Woman is driving Mr HIWWC to work and she's picking him up a whole 45 mins before he would otherwise leave the house. So we're all up extra early! ::::grumble::::: I'm not a great morning person. It feels as if Psalms were written for me, I sooooo have to engage with God and not ease dreamily from one ethereal state of the manifest presence of God (Sunday nights...me and God time) to the next morning of inner calm, knowing He is with me always. I loved reading about brother Lawrence's practising the presence of God but me flipping pancakes in the kitchen in the morning revelling in the closeness of God, prior to 11am and two cups of tea....miraculous, that would be.....
And for some reason, even though it was 2 years ago I read the Brother Lawrence book, the frying pan incident remains with me....was it eggs or pancakes?

Anyway, just realised that I forgot to tell you all that Mr HIWWC has his arm in plaster. A football hit him the night before we left for Spring Harvest. You couldn't make this stuff up. My ex-professional rugby-playing friend said incredulously, three times last week: "a ball hit him...? a BALL hit him....? A BALL HIT HIM....?" Don't think he's even broken bones when a 14 stone man has hit him, let alone a spherical object filled with.............air.

I have a number of major things to get through this week, culminating in some ridiculously silly scheduling on Sunday - kinda my fault entirely except that I didn't plan it that way. I'm at Worship Central all day Saturday, with houseguests from the Highlands (known to us) and London (unknown to us) then on Sunday I am supposed to be overseeing the usual stuff which finishes around 12.30, then speaking at a parenting forum in a nearby Church of Scotland, 1 till 2.30, then leading an all age cell group 4 till 6pm where I will be observed on my pastoral interactions/teaching input for my final year placement. Help. A theology lecturer to cell group. I've given up on any thoughts of a "good impression". Ah well, we are 8 adults and 21 children. We're messy. Unpredictable. Risky. Church!!!!

The great thing about Sunday is that my whole family are part of all of the activities I describe and I am not tearing around leaving my children at home without me. They serve in the all age cell group, welcoming other children, talking with adults, sharing toys, helping other folks to food - as they had done at teatime alpha - I believe children are never to young to learn to help and serve others. I'm not saying my kids are perfect - no-one's are! - but they do seem to love being used by God as part of a family and I DO "big that up" in them.

When I look around my church family, I can see children and teenagers in church whose parents have modelled that expectation. My colleagues' children, for example, are outstanding young people. I love talking with them and would dearly love to spend more time with them. They've been intentionally taught how to serve and bless other people. They, and others like them in the fellowship, really *do* stand out from the crowd. It's counter-culture and if you spend any time in schools you will realise that many children/teenagers today expect others (or labour saving devices) to do things for them.

Today's ex-teacher rant over.....!